SPAIN has issued arrest warrants for 12 Russians alleged to be involved with a crime syndicate operating out of Spain.

Among others, a Spanish judge wants Russian MP Vladislav Reznik, deputy head of the Federal Drug Control Service and former KGB colleague of Vladimir Putin Nikolai Aulov, and former deputy head of the Russian prosecution service’s investigation committee Igor Sobolevsky, to stand trial in Spain.

The move follows a ten year investigation into the Tambov Gang which operated out of Spain.

The charges against the 12 are said to include murder, arms trafficking, drug smuggling, extortion, fraud and money laundering.

“(The Tambov group) maintains strong links with political, economic, legal and security powers in Russia and also with members of other international criminal organizations,” Judge Jose de la Mata wrote in the document seen by Reuters.

The document claims all 12 named had dealings with the syndicate’s alleged leader, Gennady Petrov, who was arrested in Spain in 2008 but who has since fled the country.

It alleges that Petrov moved the Tambov Gang away from St. Petersburg in 1998 when he relocated to Spain.

He is believed to have laundered millions of euros earned from international criminal activity through several Spanish firms before sending the money abroad to the 12 named.

It is believed Petrov’s Spain operation had close links with Russia and was aided by a network of lawyers and middlemen.

GOT A STORY? Contact me now: laurence@theolivepress.es or call +34 951 273 575. Twitter: @lj_dollimore / @olivepress Laurence has a BA and MA in International Relations and a Gold Standard diploma in Multi-Media journalism from News Associates in London. He was news editor for all print editions of the Olive Press from 2016 to 2019 before becoming Digital Editor in January 2020.

3 COMMENTS

Putin is a criminal, dressed up as head of state. Vladimir Putin`s personal wealth is 20 times that of Donald Trump. Putin and several dozen of his mafia cronies own 35% of the national wealth of all Russia. Hundreds of journalists have been murdered, many others fired, as the Kremlin manipulates and controls the `news` media. Putin, of course, has reactivated the Cold War against an impotent and clueless U.S. president.

3 journalists have indeed been murdered, not hundreds and he has’nt used the dreaded word – COMMUNISTS, strange that as the American Christian crazies always do – is he slipping. Never mind back to normal with Cold War b/s – the reverse of the truth. Now remind us again about how you know and have met everyone in the world Paul.

Of course the Russian people got ripped off with the fall of State Capitalism – off came the Red Fascist shirts and on with the Armani suits. Now what will he call the American 1% that have been ripping off the ordinary American working stifs for so long – we are waiting.

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